Reign
by Nanashi Wanderer
Summary: Extremely AU - The arrival of Knights, males chosen by the Incubators, prompts a change to the delicate balance. No longer bound to the same rules that permeated the previous timelines, the girls who have always been involved must grow and learn to play this darker and more violent game. Will they fall to the coming darkness, as they have before, or rise above and survive.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Madoka franchise. I only own the OCs. **

**Prologue**

"Miss Akemi, please wait!"

The male voice trailing after Homura's retreating form scared her. Waking up for the first time in this new timeline, she couldn't place why someone would be coming to speak with her. Not when she had no reason to know this man. Add in the fact that the man was clearly foreign, his accent and dark skin obvious signs of this, and she was at a loss.

Turning down a corridor, the dark-haired teen started to activate her soul gem. Out of sight of any staff, or other residents of the hospital, she could freeze time and disappear with little issue. Sure, the man following her may have questions about her disappearance, but Homura would be away from him. Maybe he'd be willing to accept her disappearance as nothing more than a trick of the light; or, that she knew the hospital far better than he did.

Calling upon the magic coursing through her, Homura was just about to start her transformation when a warm hand enveloped her shoulder. Startled, her magic stopped flowing. Whirling on the one who touched her, the desire for a weapon building, she found the man who she had been attempting to avoid standing before her.

"Miss Akemi, we really do need to talk," he said.

Voice firm, and eyes hard, the man made it clear that he would accept nothing less.

"What do you wish to say?"

Her voice felt strained, like she hadn't used it for a long stretch of time. If she remembered correctly, she hadn't, but it had been a long time since she had last needed to remember the details of her life prior to Madoka.

"It's going to be a long conversation Miss Akemi, is there anywhere we can sit down?"

Homura scowled. Long conversations were not part of her plans. Even with the three days left before she would be starting at Mitakihara Middle School, she had no desire to get caught up in whatever drivel this man had to deliver to her.

"There's a garden on the roof. Residents of the hospital use it frequently," she said finally.

Getting outside was the best option. If she had to make a break for it, she could leap from the roof; run away and return once the man was gone. No one would believe that a sickly fourteen-year-old girl would be able to do something like that. Actually, no one would believe that any girl could do something like that. It was the perfect escape.

"Is it secure? Does the Incubator visit you there?"

Homura felt a chill run up her spine as she processed what was asked. This man knew about Kyubey. How? Why? Deciding that she would let the man speak, possibly revealing why he knew about the extraterrestrial menace, she began leading him towards the garden.

"It doesn't visit me," she assured him.

"Good. I don't need the little rat getting wind of our presence yet," the man said, a grin appearing on his face. "By the way, I know your name, but you don't know mine. My name is Richard Wiker."

Homura nodded. She didn't have anything to respond with. While timelines ago she would have respectfully given her name, she wasn't that girl anymore. Now, she could care less what this man thought of her. If he proved to be an obstacle in her way, he would be removed just as quickly. There was nothing else to it.

Continuing to walk, she turned her mind to think of the last time she had actually been in the hospital's garden. By this timeline's standard, it wouldn't have been that long ago; but all the resets had made it far longer than that. Heading up the last flight of stairs, some of the nurses watching her for signs of exhaustion (the main reason she hadn't visited the garden since becoming a magical girl), she led the man over to one of the benches.

Gracefully sitting down, the dark haired teen turned her violet eyes onto the man.

"Talk."

"No nonsense, that's great to see. I won't beat around the bush then," Richard said, a grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

"I, too, am the product of an Incubator's power; a male equivalent to you magical girls. A knight, if you will. And I'm here to request your assistance."

"Impossible," Homura breathed out. "Kyubey said that boys were unusable. That they weren't emotional enough."

"I can assure you that this is not the case. Most Incubators won't go anywhere near males, but it was never proven impossible. Me and the others like me are proof of that," he said, the smile now spread across his face.

Homura was tempted to demand that he prove his claim, but she managed to bite back that desire. If he was telling the truth, she didn't know what she would do. If the Incubators could be using boys, just as easily as they were using girls, than why did Madoka have to become one in almost every timeline she had created?

"And now we're here asking for your help."

That stopped Homura's mental tirade. Men had never asked for her help before. Due to her sickly nature, the girl had been coddled and protected; she was always expected to ask for help. Until she had met Madoka, it hadn't made a difference to her, but then the pinkette had changed her outlook on life. She wanted to be relied on. And right here was another offer, one that could prove beneficial to her as well. A new outlook; this could be all that she needed to save Madoka.

"What do you need my help with?"

End Prologue

**A/N: Alright, so this is another project that has been in the works for a while. This is an OC heavy Madoka Magica story. However, despite the number of OCs, the focus is genuinely still on the girls. This will also expand across pretty much all of the franchise, so expect elements of the numerous manga to be included here as well. I'm quite a fan of the franchise and have been excited about getting into the fandom for a while, so here's the start to one of my most ambitious fics. Standing alongside Masquerade (R+V) and Nephilim (Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?), this story is planned to cover a wide range of topics and expand my writing skill. So, I hope you enjoy this new fic and until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Madoka franchise. I only own my OCs. **

**Chapter 1**

Stifling a yawn, Madoka Kaname was barely able to stay awake after the nightmare that had woken her the night before. As had become the norm, her sleep was being interrupted on a constant basis by nightmares that involved her, her friends, and some others facing off against hordes of dark creatures. And each time, she would end up dying – the moment that always forced her awake.

"Before I forget, I would like to introduce our new transfer student to the class."

A groan from Sayaka tore Madoka out of her thoughts and expressed the feelings of most of the class. Once again Miss Saotome's rant about her most recent failed date had led to her nearly forgetting something important. It was how most of their days started, and many of the students had turned to gossiping about what screw up her date had caused this time.

"I would like everyone to get along and help our new student to adjust to life here," she said.

Madoka, who had stayed silent, felt the need to ask more. Who was arriving? Why did Miss Saotome seem nervous about the class' reaction to this girl? Before she could raise her hand to ask any of these questions, the teacher had led a dark haired girl into the classroom. Gasps and murmurs started to spread. Boys and girls alike commenting on how pretty she was, how lustrous her hair was, and any other topic they derive from her appearance.

"Hello, my name is Akemi Homura."

Her voice was soft, but commanding. It felt vaguely familiar to Madoka; like she had heard it in a dream.

"Well Miss Akemi, there's a seat for you in the back. If you have any questions…"

Miss Saotome started to drag on. Out of the corner of her eye, Madoka could already see what it was doing to Sayaka. Her best friend's eyes were already drooping. If it went on any longer, she was certain that Sayaka would really fall asleep. The girl already had issues staying awake in class.

"And if you have any issues, please don't hesitate to speak with the nurse's aide."

"Thank you."

Madoka perked up at the mention of her position. It wasn't a hard earned position, Sayaka had, after all, gotten her into it, but she still took it seriously. So when Miss Saotome referred to it while speaking with Homura, she couldn't help, but take notice. As the dark haired girl made her way to her seat, their eyes met and Madoka felt very self-conscious. Turning her head away, the pinkette barely noticed the new girl take her seat. Settling into it with a practiced grace, Madoka could feel the awe that the rest of the class was displaying. Without doing or saying much of anything, Homura had designated herself as a popular girl; one who would draw the attention and affection of the students.

Completely turning away from the girl, Madoka tried to focus on Miss Saotome's lesson. Her mother had been warning her about her faltering grades and she didn't want to provoke her anger. Being the eldest child by eleven years, Madoka had to set an example for Tatsuya to follow, or so she had been told, and that included showing him that school was not a punishment; although Madoka could swear that it was, more often than not. However, despite her misgivings, the lesson was providing her with respite from the unease the new girl was causing.

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"I need you to show me to the nurse's office," Homura said.

Looking up from her lunch, Madoka was startled to see the girl standing in front of her. Glancing to the side for some help from Sayaka, she found that the other girl was too deeply engrossed in her lunch to be of any help.

"O…of course," she finally said.

Standing up from her seat, Madoka began to lead the dark haired girl out of the classroom. As they exited, she could see numerous students follow their departure through the glass windows. If she were honest, that unnerved her, but she didn't want to say anything to make herself look more pathetic than her stutter already did.

As they left the view of their classmates, Madoka decided that she couldn't keep quiet. Despite her nervousness, she wanted to know more about this new student; especially why she seemed so interested in her. Opening her mouth, she was beat to the punch by Homura's soft voice.

"Do you like your current life?" she asked.

"Eh…" Madoka managed to say.

Confusion raced through her as she tried to process the question. What did the girl mean by that? Was Homura threatening her? Stopping dead in her tracks, Madoka tried to piece together why this would happen. Had she insulted the girl in any way?

Mind racing, she tried to think of anything that she had done to get on the girl's bad side. So engrossed in her thoughts, she only barely registered the panicked look that spread across Homura's face.

"Nothing, ignore what I said," Homura said, a light blush dusting her face.

Walking numerous steps ahead of Madoka, the girl easily navigated her way to the nurse's office. Following behind, the confused pinkette didn't know how to process the past few moments; even more now that her entire role for being there was made irrelevant.

Returning to the classroom, the dazed girl barely managed to find her seat as the afternoon bell rang.

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Homura couldn't believe how stupid she had been. Much like her earliest timelines, she had acted rashly and made Madoka suspicious. Now there was no easy way to get close to the girl. She'd have to make an effort.

Panicking, she tried to think of any way to rectify her mistake, without resetting so soon into the timeline. The strain that it put on her soul gem was immense, and she didn't like having to go witch hunting as soon as she woke up. Not since she hadn't had a chance to prior to the last time.

But the fact that Madoka was now scared of her made it very tempting. What could she do to fix this? What could she do? Nearly hyperventilating, the usually stoic girl found herself acting much like her younger self. Panic and fear raced through her, though it revolved completely around what the pinkette would think of her once she attempted to befriend her, for the... some odd number time.

Stopping momentarily, the dark haired teen tried to figure out how many times she had repeated this month by this point. She knew that it had to be over thirty, with all the different timelines she could remember, but she wasn't sure how far over that number.

These thoughts were all she could focus on as she made her way to the local café. Having promised to meet with Richard to continue their discussion, she had told him about the café and how to get there.

The man offered a new perspective, one that she could feel promise from. Not that she gave it much hope. After the innumerable repeats she had performed, Homura was very cynical about any changes to what she already knew. And the fact that these "knights" hadn't deemed it necessary to show up until now didn't move them past her cynicism.

Stepping into the location, she easily spotted Richard. It wasn't a very busy place, only a few people were there on average, but the booths were separated enough that conversations could be kept private. A perk Homura would be taking advantage of here. If she didn't go hunting Kyubey, as she had a couple of timelines ago, then the Incubator's suspicions wouldn't be roused and she could get all the information she needed.

Walking over to the table, she ignored the young man sitting beside Richard. The dark skinned man had been very open about how the "knights" operated, and she knew that there were more of them in Japan. He had even added the information on how many had come with him. So the young man who had joined them barely fazed her.

"Glad you made it. I was worried you would skip out on us," Richard said with a grin. "But now that you're here we can get underway. Please allow me to introduce Kun, my charge."

Nodding toward the young man, Homura took a moment to catalogue his appearance. Small in stature, looking no older than twelve and with medium length brown hair, the boy reminded her of some of the younger girls who had gotten pulled into the Incubators' games. Thankfully, none of those girls had appeared in this timeline.

Homura never liked seeing younger children in the midst of these conflicts. Though she was able to push aside those feelings whenever Madoka was in peril, the dark haired teen was hard pressed not to get involved. Seeing that boy there, it increased her hatred for the Incubators.

"Hello, my name is Kun," the boy said, breaking through Homura's internal rant.

"Hello," she responded.

The boy seemed odd, his attention drifting away from her as soon as she spoke to him. Determined not to let it bother her; Homura returned her attention to Richard, who was softly chuckling.

"I apologize for him, he's not much of a conversationalist," the older man said. "My fiancée and I have been looking after him for a few months now, and he still won't say much to us, so don't worry too much about it."

She wasn't going to.

"Now, you're going to have to meet the others in my party eventually, but for today I wanted to inquire on what I need to do for you. I'd rather not be going into a situation blind if I can help it," he said. "And though I'm already in trouble for agreeing with no information, I'd like to at least get myself out of the doghouse a little bit."

His grin became cheeky as he finished. And yet, Homura found it relaxing. He wasn't turning his back on her, not yet at least, and he was genuine about helping her. Though she had found allies in previous timelines, none of them were as willing as Richard was: or gullible. At this point, she wasn't entirely sure how powerful the "knights" were, or if they could even help her in her goal. But that wouldn't stop her from trying. Not when she had run out of all other options.

"Have you heard of Walpurgisnacht?" she asked.

"Yes."

Richard's countenance turned serious, his answer providing some encouragement to the teen.

"Good, how much do you know?"

"I know enough to say that even with my group, you won't be able to conquer it," he said. "It's too big a fight to take on without more allies."

"More allies?"

Homura didn't like where this was going. Kyubey's hold on Mitakihara had proven to, in previous timelines, make the presence of more magical girls… uncomfortable, to say the least. The ones that she knew were in the Mitakihara area wouldn't be much help. Too many of them fell quickly to become witches, or tried to kill Madoka. Thinking of Oriko, she scowled fiercely.

"Yes, I've already sent a friend of mine to Asunaro. He's going to be speaking with the magical girls there," Richard said. "I trust that he'll manage to get us some more allies."

Homura relaxed. He wasn't suggesting Oriko. She didn't know what she would do if the seer was suggested to join. There was very little chance that Homura would allow the girl to survive if she came within proximity of Madoka.

"So, who are these magical girls?" she asked, forcing her mind off the thought of the seer.

"They call themselves the Pleiades Saints."

End Chapter 1

**A/N: Alright, here's the first official chapter of Reign! I'm still very much in the setting the stage section of the story, but there's a lot to prepare before the real action can start. Also, I'll be drawing upon a lot of the expanded content of the franchise – primarily the manga series Oriko and Kazumi – while writing this. Anyway, thanks to all who read this story, I appreciate the views. So, until next time, **

**Nanashi Wanderer **


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Madoka franchise. I only own my OCs. **

**Chapter 2**

"There's a witch downtown."

Kyubey's telepathic voice stirred Mami Tomoe from her slumber. Having just finished with her homework, the girl had settled in to get some rest before school the next morning. That didn't seem to be in the cards any longer.

Climbing out of bed, covering her mouth as a yawn escaped her lips, the blonde blearily dressed herself. Even though she would be activating her soul gem, providing herself with a suitable outfit for her escapades, she didn't think it would be prudent to be going out in her pyjamas.

Slipping into her uniform, she cautiously opened her apartment's door. Even though she was living on her own, there were numerous neighbours who had decided that they needed to look after her. While she appreciated their dotage, she found it stifling when it came to doing her job as a magical girl. Thankfully, most of the residents of the apartment complex had come to understand her need for privacy and freedom, and let her do as she pleased without lectures or complaints.

That didn't mean she wanted to catch their attention, leaving at this time of night. She'd already been given the lecture on why a girl her age shouldn't be out that late. Not that she couldn't defend herself; even before becoming a magical girl, she had been learning methods of self defense. Enrolled in a self defense class at a young age, she had spent plenty of time learning techniques to keep her safe from potential attackers. At least, techniques that could allow her to break free and get to safety.

Reaching the ground floor, Mami waited for Kyubey to show up. The creature that had helped her ever since she had become a magical girl was an important part of her small team. Ever since she had lost her only magical girl companion to her anger and loss, Mami was very protective over the extraterrestrial creature.

"Over this way," it called out, landing softly on the balcony of another apartment.

Following after the creature, the teen ran through her pre-fight preparations. A ritual she had started soon after becoming a magical girl, Mami made sure that she was mentally prepared for whatever may happen during a witch hunt. It was her method of staying calm and focused. Outside distractions were pushed to the side, allowing her to focus on staying safe and alive.

After following Kyubey for a few blocks, a pull on her soul alerted her to the proximity of the labyrinth. Taking a deep breath she tugged on the fringes of her magic; preparing to transform as soon as she stepped through the doorway and entered into the witch's domain. This was how she normally entered. It was a lesson she had learned from her senpai years ago; one that had stuck with her and provided a semblance of safety during her fights. She was rarely ever caught off guard anymore.

"Here we go," she said to herself as she caught sight of the entrance to the witch's domain.

Located at the foot of a department store, she was sure that this witch was the one who had been causing the violent outbursts that had been happening there over the past couple of days. Pleased to be putting an end to the issues that these people were facing, she stepped through.

Inside the labyrinth, Mami's eyes widened as she took in the destruction. Walls were scorched and damaged and familiars, looking like 19th century lamp posts, were littered about; not a single one indicating that any life was left in them. Unnerved, she tugged fully on her magic; beginning her transformation. Feeling it envelop her, Mami delighted in the activation of her powers.

She was always fond of the feeling it gave her. Powerful, something she wasn't when her parents had died. Now, with all the power flowing through her, Mami was more than capable of looking after herself, as well as any others who needed her protection. She would prevent any repeats of the incident that happened to her: that she was certain of.

But her power didn't prevent the nervousness from creeping through her at the sight of the labyrinth. There were no other known magical girls in Mitakihara; Kyubey had confirmed that for her. So, what could be responsible for all this destruction? She had never heard of witches attacking one another, but then again she had never asked.

Summoning two of her rifles, she started to move slowly towards the witch's supposed location. As she progressed, the destruction seen in the entrance continued deeper into the labyrinth. Feeling beyond unnerved, the teen wondered if it wouldn't be better to abandon the attack and leave. Kyubey hadn't entered with her, after all, and she wasn't sure if she could face whatever had attacked this witch on her own.

'Please just be another magical girl,' she prayed.

That would alleviate a lot of the issue here. Another magical girl would be reasonable in allowing Mami to just wander off. It was very unlikely that they would end up fighting one another, and she may even get a new companion. But she wasn't placing too much hope in that belief. Instead, she kept her guard up.

Following the wreckage, she felt the pull on her soul start to weaken. Whatever had caused the destruction was now attacking the witch. Picking up speed, Mami rushed to find out what was happening. Entering the center of the maze, the usual location of a witch's personal lair, her movement came to a complete stop. Biting back the scream that wanted to escape her lips, she ducked behind the closest piece of cover.

Her hunch about something attacking the witch was correct. Sitting on the ground, witch, shaped like an anthropomorphic flame, clutched tightly in its hands, was a muscular, heavily armoured figure. The Romanesque armour, plate tightly covering the figure's chest and a cloak over its shoulder, exuded a sense of power as it tore into the witch's body. No screams emanated from the witch either, but Mami could tell that it had yet to die. The tug on her soul was still there; pointing her in the direction of the malefic presence.

"Why have you stopped?" Kyubey's telepathic question invaded Mami's thoughts.

Startled, the teen squeaked in surprise; drawing the attention of the feasting figure. As its head turned to face her, the teen was greeted by a helmet that covered the top half of the head from view. Blood dripped from its exposed jaw as it took a look around the walled area. Eyes widening in shock, she ducked completely behind her cover. Clutching the rifles tightly to her chest, she hoped that the creature wasn't searching for her. Searching the area for Kyubey, Mami was disappointed to find that the extraterrestrial was nowhere to be found. However, she could identify a set of paw prints dashing away from the location of the witch.

'Kyubey's never ran before,' she thought, terror coursing through her. 'Is this thing really that bad?'

Braving a look around the corner of her cover, she felt her heart stop. To her disgust, the armored creature was playing with the witch's corpse, like it was a toy for it to amuse itself with. Marks from where it had feasted on the creature were easily visible, but they were the least of what she bore witness to.

The creature seemed to be chuckling, pleased with what it was doing. A rasping sound was coming from it, almost as if it was speaking. Repeated sounds led her to believe that it was something along the lines of a chant, or prayer. Shuddering as she thought of it, Mami tightened her grip on the rifles. Her heart raced as she tried to process the change. What made this one different, why could it talk? Unable to come to a conclusion, she decided that killing it would be her best option. She didn't know how powerful it was, but she was certain that if it escaped it would become a problem for the city.

Pulling as much of her magic as she could towards her, Mami summoned up as many rifles as she could handle. Staring at the thirty weapons that now rested before her, she nodded her head confidently. This should be enough to down the creature. Stepping out from her cover, she aimed all of the rifles at the distracted figure. Still playing with the corpse, it hadn't noticed her presence. Thankful, she took a moment to make sure that all of her rifles were ready, before commanding them to fire.

Blood burst from the creature as the bullets pierced through its armour. Refusing to let up, Mami summoned more rifles; attempting to keep up the pressure. She couldn't give an inch. If she did, the creature would be able to retaliate. Sure, she was using a lot of her magic, but the grief seed that she would harvest should be enough to clean her soul gem.

"Tiro Finale!"

Summoning her final attack, the teen aimed towards the creature; its bloody form unmoving. Firing, she watched as the creature took the full brunt of her attack. Blood splashed out across the back wall, painting it a wicked black colour.

Landing back on the ground in a single graceful movement, Mami felt satisfied with her work. There was no way that the creature could have survived her onslaught. Waiting for the labyrinth to dissipate, as they usually did upon the fall of a witch, she found that it was taking longer than normal. Was the witch still alive?

With that thought in mind, she approached what she had assumed was the witch's corpse. However, there was nothing indicating to her that it was still alive. Not tug on her soul, and no indication of movement from the body.

"Fascinating," a raspy voice, speaking fluent Japanese, said. "I knew it was the right idea to come to Japan. There's so much power."

A chill ran down Mami's spine as she heard the creature speak. While the rasping had made it sound like it could speak – although not in any language she was aware of – the fact that it was speaking her language stopped her cold. Cautiously turning around, she looked towards the smoke cloud she had created. Standing tall, the armoured creature looked fine. Sure, there was damage to its armour, holes littered the chest, but it seemed unaffected by it.

"You'll be a great dessert," it said, a sick smile spreading across its face.

Extending its right hand, energy burst into the room; a massive warhammer, nearly the same height as the creature, appeared in its hand. Gripping the weapon tightly, the creature swung, crashing the hammer into Mami's side and sending her flying across the room. Unable to fight back a scream, the usually collected girl felt her lungs strain as she smashed into the wall.

Sliding down, she struggled into a standing position. Clearly her initial attacks hadn't been enough to down the beast. And, despite using so much of her magic, she refused to allow it loose on the world. Summoning another rifle, she aimed it towards the creature and fired.

However, this time the creature was prepared; instead of taking the hit head on, it smacked aside the bullet. Watching the bullet pierce a whole in the wall, Mami couldn't find it in her to be surprised. No, instead she needed to focus on doing everything she could to stop this thing; no matter the cost.

Summoning more rifles, she began a desperate attack. Despite the fact that the creature had blocked one bullet; she doubted it could repeatedly block a wave of attacks. To her pleasure that was true, as every few blocked bullets lead to a strike.

Satisfied that she was making progress, the girl decided it was time to finish things. At least, that's what she hoped would happen. Dancing out of the way of a hammer swing, now that her onslaught had let up the creature was getting bolder, she summoned up her ribbon. Pouring her magic into it, she extended and strengthened the fabric; making sure it would be able to bind the beast.

Extending out her hand, she released the ribbon. As it wound its way around the beast, she leapt back; preparing her final attack.

"Tiro Finale!" she yelled out, firing her massive gun at the figure.

"Very interesting," it rasped out.

To Mami's horror, the ribbon snapped before her attack fully enveloped the creature. Unable to break from her attack, she couldn't move in time to avoid the hammer that came right to her side; crushing through the bones, she felt her ribs fall apart under the pressure.

Broken, her breath coming out in strangled breaths, Mami was amazed that she was still alive. Propping herself up on her elbows, she stared wide eyed at her opponent. This was it; there was nothing left for her to do. She could even feel her magic fleeing her. Without it, she wouldn't be able to retaliate, or defend herself.

"I-I'm not ready to die," she cried, trying to figure out a way out.

No options appeared for her. Fighting back the tears that were building in her eyes, she prayed to whoever, or whatever, would listen. There had to be a chance to get out of here alive.

"_**There you are you bastard,"**_Mami heard a male voice yell out, the language clearly not Japanese.

"_**Kai, settle down," **_a female voice followed. _**"You know not to rush off like this!"**_

Although she was unable to understand what was being said, she tentatively turned to look for the origins of the voices; watching in awe as a male dressed in a 19th century sea captain's outfit raced towards the hammer wielding creature. Following close behind, a woman with waist-length black hair – wearing a crimson blouse and long skirt that extend to just above her feet – ran after him; magic flowing off of her.

As Mami watched the two's approach, the man summoned a trident into his hands, rolling under a strike from the creature. Swinging up, he managed to cut a large gash across its arm. The woman, who Mami knew was a magical girl despite her appearance, seemed to be refraining from transforming. Instead she was dancing around the area; drawing the attention of the beast.

As the two worked in tandem to face the beast, Mami noticed her vision blurring. It was becoming harder to stay coherent, her injuries finally catching up with her. Letting her eyes close, her head lolled against her chest. Rest, that's what she needed now.

End Chapter 2

**A/N: Alright, so here is the next chapter of Reign. Bringing Mami into the story (oh how I love her) and introducing a couple of new characters. For anyone who was expecting some Pleiades stuff this chapter… I'm sorry to disappoint, but that will be coming a little later on. As to the chapter itself, well I had fun writing the first major action sequence of this story. There's going to be a lot more, but the next few chapters will be some character drama. Especially since Mami and Homura are going to be meeting up. That and Madoka and Sayaka have… well that's something that will be revealed more of in the next few chapters. So, I hope that the story has been grabbing your attention; any criticism (primarily constructive) is appreciated. I'm working on keeping to an average of a post every other week, and hope to keep it up. Until next time, I hope you enjoyed. **

**Nanashi Wanderer**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Madoka franchise. **

**Chapter 3**

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Yuru Hibiki shouldered his staff. Pulling out a cigarette, he ignited a flame above his thumb and lit the stick. Breathing in deeply, he felt his nerves ease up. Though he didn't smoke often, Yuru was not against having one when frustration overcame him.

Tugging firmly on his three-pronged hat, Yuru scowled. He was crouching upon one of the cranes dotting the Mitakihara cityscape. A necessary requirement so that he could search out a witch. One of the more, useful, skills he had.

As the only knight capable of searching out witches, he was sent out when Clarissa, their magical girl, was otherwise occupied. Which just so happened to currently be the case; receiving a phone call from Richard earlier, requesting he hunt one down.

"What's so special about the girl anyway?" he asked, staring up at the sky. "If she couldn't even stand up to a single fucking warlock, why am I doing this?"

Shaking his head, he refocused his mind. Stamping out his cigarette, he reminded himself that now was not the time to complain. This was his responsibility, and he would be damned if he didn't fulfill it.

Catching scent of a witch, Yuru allowed a wicked grin to spread upon his face. Now was the time to act. Leaping from his position on the crane, jacket fluttering behind him, he headed out after it.

"At least this one feels like it'll be a challenge."

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Homura was still trying to process what she had seen. Having just left her meeting with Richard, on her way to meet the rest of his team, she had not expected to be sent into a witch's labyrinth. Sure, the witch would have been no issue, but what was there… She didn't know what to think about it.

The creature was huge; larger than any witch she could remember fighting – sans Walpurgisnacht. Muscle rippled underneath its armour. Blood dripped from its body, and it moved liked that didn't matter.

While she had fought witches that could shrug off damage, she had never seen anything that relished in it the way that this creature did. Warlock; that was what Richard referred to it as.

Innumerable questions burned in her mind after hearing the term. She knew what they were, in mythology and fiction, but wasn't sure if her theories were correct. And if they were, did that make the men she was working with even larger threats than the magical girls?

"Are you alright?" Richard asked, interrupting Homura's thoughts.

Standing to her side, the man, still garbed in his gleaming silver armour, waited for a response.

"Yes," she said after a couple of moments. "I'm alright."

"Good. I didn't want anyone else to suffer a breakdown. Witnessing a warlock for the first time is known to cause that."

His small smile could barely hide his edginess over the events. Despite her doubts, Homura couldn't blame him. She had not expected to find Mami in the labyrinth when they arrived. Following closely behind Kai and Clarissa, the two of them had barely managed to help bring down the armoured monster.

"But she was amazing. That girl," Richard continued. "To be able to injure Uther that badly on her own, she must be more powerful than Kai."

Homura recognized that he was now musing to himself. Deciding to leave him alone, she made her over to the woman who was part of his party. Clarissa, she reminded herself.

Even though she didn't transform during the fight with the warlock, Homura could tell that the woman was a magical girl. It was in the way that she moved about the labyrinth. She was comfortable in combat situations, but didn't appear to be a soldier. The woman reacted with the same practiced ease that Homura had developed over her numerous attempts to protect Madoka. A confidence that she could face whatever came her way.

The fact that she was a magical girl was helpful. Despite her trust issues, Homura felt at ease with another magical girl around; one who had clearly managed to live past their expected lifespan. Coming to a stop beside the woman, she fought down any lingering doubts before speaking.

"How did you manage to avoid turning?"

Her question drew the woman's attention. Tilting her head, Clarissa gave Homura a smile before answering. "Them."

Following the older woman's gaze, Homura caught sight of Richard and a dark haired man standing beside him. Kai, if she remembered his name correctly. So, it was the two men. Homura found that hard to believe. What difference did the men make in whether or not Clarissa became a witch? She had seen Miki fall numerous times due to her affections for Kyousuke. If anything, they were more of a nuisance than a benefit.

Before she could ask for further explanation, Richard's booming voice filled the area; grabbing the attention of every conscious person.

"Alright, while we wait for the grief seed, I need everyone's attention," he said, ignoring the fact that everyone was already watching him. "I've got an update on our progress in Asunaro."

Kai and Clarissa seemed eager to hear about this update. Homura was far less so. She had no idea who these girls were, or what they were capable of. Having never encountered them in any previous timeline, they were just as big unknowns as the knights.

"Kojiro says that he and Lazarus made contact. Granted it ended with another one of Lazarus' fits, but they managed to get initial contact."

"Oh, the NEET actually achieved something?" an unfamiliar male voice asked.

"Kojiro's not a NEET and you're well aware of that Yuru," Richard replied, glaring at the newcomer.

Tilting her head to look over at the newcomer, Homura quickly put every detail to memory. Standing at a decent height, he could easily come across as intimidating in the right light. Auburn hair, more brown than red, which extended down to his neck, framed his slender face. Narrow, emerald eyes seemed to take in everything around him as well; even stopping on Homura for a moment before continuing. He was a striking figure, most likely of mixed descent.

"Could've fooled me with the way the bastard doesn't attend classes," the youth said, shrugging his shoulders.

A sigh escaped from Richard, but he didn't press the issue any further. "Do you have the seed?"

"Of course," Yuru answered, a cocky grin spreading across his face. "Has about three uses in it; should be enough for the new girls."

His nonchalant method of speaking irritated Homura. It reminded her of Kyoko, and that was never a good thing. Even though she worked well with the girl, she was extremely irritating – and draining.

"Another witch killed, should be enough to get me reclassified as a Dragon Slayer; right?" he continued, tossing the grief seed to Richard.

"Not with the bloody mouth you're trying to hide," Kai said as he walked up to the youth.

As the two began to bicker, terms Homura didn't understand being thrown about, she noticed that Mami was starting to stir. Unsure of how the girl would react to her in this timeline, the dark haired girl decided to move out of the way; allowing Clarissa to be the one to greet her.

Even more than her issues with Kyoko, Homura had issues with Mami. Everything about the senior magical girl drove her around the bend. Her appearance; her personality; all of it frustrated and angered Homura. Granted, it could stem primarily from the fact that she got along so well with Madoka; something that she struggled to achieve in each and every timeline.

As she watched the blonde wake up, she forced herself to fight down the jealousy that ripped through her. The thoughts she was having were not good for her, not when she had a more important mission in mind. Mami was one of the more useful girls she knew. Despite her dislike for the girl, she'd be a great asset. And if Homura learned anything from previous timelines, it was that getting on the bad side of this girl would never end well.

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Cringing as light filtered into her eyes, Mami forced herself awake. Pain racked her chest as she took a breath, reminding her of what had happened. Eyes adjusting to the light, she looked around in a panic; hoping that the monster wasn't there any longer. She remembered seeing two more people rush into the monster's path, but after that nothing. Did they defeat it? Were they still alive?

The latter question was answered as soon as she took a look at the woman standing over her. Even though she had only seen the back of the woman before losing consciousness, Mami wouldn't forget her figure. Not when she was one of the ones who had clearly saved her.

"T…thank…y…you," she gasped out, cringing in pain as she spoke.

"Hush now dear," the woman said, her form becoming blurry in Mami's eyes again. "Don't try to speak. You're still healing. We've got a grief seed to clean your soul gem. That should help speed up the process."

Her Japanese was impeccable, despite her obviously foreign appearance. That was the thought Mami had as she closed her eyes again; seeking solace from the pain that was now continuously coursing through her. It hurt so much. The pain reminded her of what it had been like during the car crash: uncomfortable and terrifying.

Breathing faster and faster, she felt her consciousness leave her; blackness deeper than that of her closed eyes.

"No, don't fall asleep," the woman's voice jarred her back to alertness; colour returning to her world.

Looking directly into her eyes, Mami was shocked by the concern. She had never seen it in someone's eyes since her parents passed. Even before then, the life that she had lived was not one that allowed for much concern to be directed towards her.

Coughing violently as she took another breath; Mami felt a hand run through her hair.

"Stay calm. I know this will hurt, but we need you to summon your soul gem. If you don't, we won't be able to utilize the grief seed."

The woman's voice was soothing. It was almost hypnotic, the way her accent – ever so slightly – altered the sound of the words. Mami couldn't disobey. Lifting her hand up, struggling through the waves of pain that tore through her, she managed to get it into a position where she wouldn't drop her soul gem.

"Good work. Just summon your soul gem and we can get it purified."

The woman's voice beckoned her onwards. Obliging, Mami felt her magic course through her; summoning up her soul gem. As the familiar weight landed in her hand, she let out a scream. Pain racked through her and she felt a pair of hands on her shoulders; holding her down.

"Stay calm. Stay calm. You're doing alright, don't worry," the woman said.

"Yeah, you're doing fine," a male voice added.

Looking around, despite the pain, Mami caught sight of the same man who had burst into the fight. A smile was on his face, and his eyes showed a sense of pride. Again, the teen found it hard to understand what she could have done to earn these reactions from the two strangers.

Before she could even process all that was happening, she felt the pain start to ease up. Looking towards her soul gem, she saw that it had been cleaned; the golden colour glowing brightly.

"There you go. Your magic should be working at full strength again," the woman said. "You'll be feeling much better now."

Mami couldn't disagree. Her body was already feeling better, though the pain was still there.

"W…what…h…happened?" she asked, her voice still weak.

"We killed the monster. And it was all thanks to you," the man said, assisting Mami into a sitting position. "You injured him so badly, he couldn't leave the labyrinth. Six months of hunting and you managed to incapacitate him on your first encounter. It was amazing!"

Mami blushed as she listened to the man's words. Although his Japanese wasn't as strong as the woman's, she was still able to understand everything he had said.

"Kai, you're embarrassing her. Shut up," the woman said.

A pained yelp from the man, Kai, indicated that he had been smacked. A giggle escaped Mami's lips as the two continued to argue. Despite clenching her teeth when another jolt of pain passed through, she found it hard to not allow the amusement she was feeling to continue building. But that couldn't last. Despite the fact that these people had saved her, she had no idea who they were, or what they were here for.

Settling into a more comfortable position, she attempted to speak again. Her voice catching as she spoke. It was enough to get the two bickering adults' attention. Looking at her, they waited for her to continue.

"T…thank…y…you," she started. "I…appreciate your help."

Her voice was finally starting to strengthen again.

"But what is going on? Who are you? What was that c…creature?"

Before the two could answer her, a man in silver armour approached. Radiating maturity and power, Mami was stunned.

"I believe I can answer those questions for you."

End Chapter 3

**A/N: Another chapter of Reign has been completed. And now I can finally start building up the meat of the story. It's going to start getting really fun from here on out. If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me. PM works wonders and I'll be more than willing to chat with anyone who wants to know more. So until next time, which should hopefully be sooner, this has been Nanashi Wanderer. **


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